Fall 2021 marked the return of full in-person operations at Harvard, more than 18 months after campus first de-densified in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s a look back — in animation form — at what the fall had in store at the University.

Students arrive in waves back on campus as Tropical Storm Henri arrives in Massachusetts.

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Some members of the Class of 2025, which boasts an unusually large class size, end up moving into overflow housing.

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Students attend their first day of in-person classes, while adhering to new safety protocols, such as masks.

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Persistent campus wifi outages disrupt the first week of classes.

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There is a rise in Covid-19 cases during the first couple weeks after students arrive, forcing some students to isolate or quarantine while taking classes.

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The College, ahead of Labor Day weekend, increases the undergraduate testing cadence from once a week to three times per week.

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The gates of Harvard Yard are closed in the evening to the public through mid-October to encourage public health, drawing some criticism from students.

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Some local Harvard Square businesses which closed during the pandemic, such as Blue Bottle Cafe, reopen amid students’ return. Other local businesses are inundated by customers due to staffing shortages.

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With cases coming under control on campus due to student observance of public health protocols, the undergraduate testing cadence drops down to twice per week.

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—Descriptions by Yuen Ting Chow and Meera S. Nair